| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to the City of Belle Glade; providing for |
| 3 | the relief of Willie Police, III, Cora Donaldson, Willie |
| 4 | Police, Sr., and the Estate of Willie Police, Jr.; |
| 5 | authorizing and directing the City of Belle Glade to |
| 6 | compensate them for injuries suffered as a result of the |
| 7 | death of Willie Police, Jr., due to the negligence of |
| 8 | employees of the city; providing an effective date. |
| 9 |
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| 10 | WHEREAS, on February 13, 1993, Willie Police, Jr., who was |
| 11 | 17 years of age, and a friend attended a dance that was being |
| 12 | held at the Civic Center in Belle Glade, and |
| 13 | WHEREAS, while the two friends were standing in the parking |
| 14 | lot after the dance, a disturbance began as a result of which |
| 15 | both Willie Police and his friend were shot, and Willie died at |
| 16 | the scene, and |
| 17 | WHEREAS, the group that sponsored the dance allegedly did |
| 18 | not have permission to use the civic center and had broken into |
| 19 | the center that night and held the party without the permission |
| 20 | of the city, and |
| 21 | WHEREAS, 1 week before the dance, the group had passed out |
| 22 | flyers inviting the public to the event, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, police were called to the scene because of the |
| 24 | noise created by the party, and, although police officers did |
| 25 | respond to the call and go to the party, they did not check to |
| 26 | see whether the group was legitimately using the civic center |
| 27 | and they did not speak to any person in charge, nor did they |
| 28 | check to see whether there was any security provided for the |
| 29 | party, and |
| 30 | WHEREAS, the testimony of city officials and the police |
| 31 | revealed that any time a party is held at the civic center |
| 32 | security is to be provided by either the city or the person who |
| 33 | gives the party, and |
| 34 | WHEREAS, the testimony further showed that such a party is |
| 35 | always recorded on the books of the city, and the city then |
| 36 | informs the police department of the party, and |
| 37 | WHEREAS, the Belle Glade Police Department never checked |
| 38 | with the city nor with anyone else about this party, even after |
| 39 | noise complaints were registered, and, if they had checked, they |
| 40 | would have shut down the party because it was not a scheduled |
| 41 | event and there was no security, and |
| 42 | WHEREAS, at the time of his death, Willie Police, Jr., was |
| 43 | the father of a 3-year-old son, Willie Police, III, who has been |
| 44 | deprived of the support and companionship of his father, and |
| 45 | WHEREAS, Willie Police, Jr.'s, parents, Cora Donaldson and |
| 46 | Willie Police, Sr., have been deprived of the services and |
| 47 | companionship of their son, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 48 |
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| 49 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 50 |
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| 51 | Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this act |
| 52 | are found and declared to be true. |
| 53 | Section 2. The City of Belle Glade is authorized and |
| 54 | directed to compensate Willie Police, III, Cora Donaldson, |
| 55 | Willie Police, Sr., and the Estate of Willie Police, Jr., out of |
| 56 | funds of the city not otherwise appropriated, in the amount of |
| 57 | $381,649.10 for injuries and damages sustained as a result of |
| 58 | the death of Willie Police, Jr. |
| 59 | Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |